Spotting flowers growing wild in South East UK
Wildflower spotting in late summer 2024 Since my previous post about the Wildflower Society diary, things have been a bit quieter. This isn’t due to the lack of flowers, more about my lifestyle! I’ve been on two campervan trips since I last wrote – to see my brother in Somerset, and to Latitude Festival –…
Wildflower spotting in early summer 2024 In my previous post I listed a few flowers I’d spotted while completing the Wildflower Society diary earlier this year. Since then I’ve been out and about in Seaford, especially to the Last Meadow which is beautiful at this time of year. I’ve pootled down the road to Tidemills…
Wildflower spotting in spring 2024 This is my second year of taking part in the Wildflower Society diary. As a newbie I have to stick to a set list of common wildflowers, and record them on a spreadsheet when I find them, along with the place, date and grid reference if possible. Last year I…
Seaford mosses In February after enjoying reading Leif Bersweden’s recent book Where the wild flowers grow I followed him on Instagram (@leifbersweden) in time to find him advocating us all having a closer look at mosses (#couchto10mosses). Being early in the year I wasn’t out and about much but I did have a mooch around…
Still some plants in flower Despite being a dry month there were still some species flowering Rosebay Willowherb – Chamaenerion angustifolium Wild Carrot – Daucus carota gall – Keifferia pericarpiicola This was the first time I’d found these little pink balls on Wild Carrot, and I had to look up what they were. Old mans…
This was the second year I counted wildflowers at Gayles Farm So I’ve tried not to take all the same pictures as this time last year! Although I was out with the same two recorders – Colin and Chris, and the horses were still there! Other fauna included a Wasp spider Argiope bruennichi – a…
Burnt-tip Orchids in Sussex Neotinia ustulata grows in a few places locally The Orchid is on the Red List but locally frequent because it likes the short chalk downland turf. I’ve heard that another local haunt is Mount Caburn near Lewes. Last year I was pleased to be able to catch it in flower in…
Local Leguminosae The Pea family Fabaceae or Leguminosae includes many flowers including Vetches and Vetchlings, Clovers, Bird’s Foot Trefoil and many more. There seemed to be quite a lot of these legumes when I visited the Last Meadow in Seaford in early June. A blooming meadow But there were flowers of all types blowing in…
Flowering in August, September and October While out walking near my home in Seaford Sussex here are some blooms I came across. These are in addition to my various trips up Seaford Head in August! Wildflowers around the town Field Bindweed – Convolvulus arvensis This small flowered bindweed likes my garden. Wild marjoram – Origanum…
Seseli libanotis is a rare UK wildflower Seaford Natural History Society counts wild plants of Moon Carrot every year to monitor numbers. Being a clifftop plant, coastal erosion means that the whole colony is in danger of failure in a single rock fall. Moon carrot grows on our chalk cliffs The plant is found right near…